Former Croatian international Milan Badelj, who now leads Dinamo's Under-19 squad, watched his players combine aggressive pressing, intelligent movement and clinical finishing to dismantle their opponents. Jona Benkotić opened the scoring, followed by goals from Lovro Trupčević, Bozhkov and Roko Ban. A second strike from Bozhkov completed an extraordinary first-half performance, while a Qarabağ own goal and a late finish from Luka Radić confirmed the final 7–0 result.
The victory sends Dinamo into the third round of the Domestic Champions Path, where they will meet Benfica over two legs. The Portuguese club represents a considerable step up in opposition, but Badelj's team will enter the tie with confidence after scoring nine goals across their two matches against Qarabağ.
Five-Goal First Half Leaves Qarabağ Overwhelmed
Dinamo approached the return encounter determined to build on their dramatic 2–1 victory in Baku, where Benkotić and Ban had scored to overturn a half-time deficit. Unlike the closely contested first leg, however, the return match quickly became a one-sided affair as the Croatian champions established control from the opening minutes.
Bozhkov almost opened the scoring in the second minute when he connected with a powerful effort following a pass from Trupčević. The ball took a slight deflection before striking the crossbar, offering an early indication of the attacking pressure Qarabağ would face throughout the afternoon.
Dinamo continued creating opportunities through Ban and South Korean youngster Jinwoo Jeon, with the visitors struggling to deal with the home side's movement and intensity. Their defensive problems were compounded by Dinamo's ability to recover possession quickly and maintain the majority of the action inside Qarabağ's half.
The hosts were forced into an early change when goalkeeper Petar Nemet suffered an injury and was replaced by Fran Gračanin in the 19th minute. The interruption had little effect on Dinamo's attacking rhythm, and just five minutes later they finally broke the deadlock.
Following a corner, Nikola Radnić directed the ball towards Benkotić, who reacted quickly and headed it into the net from close range. The 24th-minute goal gave Dinamo a 1–0 lead on the afternoon and extended their aggregate advantage to 3–1.
Trupčević doubled the lead in the 34th minute following an excellent exchange of passes with Radić. The right-sided defender advanced into the penalty area and finished confidently, rewarding another well-constructed attacking move.
Four minutes later, Radić again played an important creative role, finding Bozhkov in a promising position. The Bulgarian midfielder converted to make it 3–0, effectively placing qualification beyond Qarabağ's reach.
Dinamo's remarkable first-half performance continued during stoppage time. Ban added the fourth goal in the 45th minute after receiving a pass from Bozhkov, before the Bulgarian completed his double with a superb long-range strike just moments later. Krešimir Radoš also struck the woodwork during the opening period, further highlighting Dinamo's overwhelming dominance.
By half-time, the Croatian side led 5–0, having produced an exceptional attacking display that combined technical quality with aggressive pressing and movement.
Bozhkov Shines as Dinamo Complete Seven-Goal Victory
Although qualification was effectively secured before the interval, Badelj's players maintained their attacking approach after the restart. The coach introduced Niko Željković in place of Bozhkov, giving the midfielder an opportunity to influence the match while allowing the two-goal scorer to rest ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Dinamo added their sixth goal in the 54th minute following another dangerous corner. Željković delivered the ball into the penalty area, Martin Kuzmanov redirected it towards goal and Qarabağ defender Rävan Teymurov inadvertently turned it into his own net.
The home side continued creating opportunities despite holding a comfortable advantage. Radić had an effort blocked by the visiting goalkeeper, while Željković also came close after finding space in front of goal. Dinamo's movement remained effective, and the visitors struggled to establish any sustained attacking momentum.
The final goal arrived in the 76th minute when Željković produced an excellent pass into the penalty area for Radić. The Dinamo attacker controlled the opportunity and finished from approximately seven metres to make it 7–0, completing a commanding performance.
Bozhkov finished as the only player to score twice, but the result reflected an outstanding collective display rather than the efforts of one individual. Benkotić, Trupčević, Ban and Radić all contributed goals, while several players provided assists and helped maintain the attacking pressure throughout the encounter.
The result was also significant for Dinamo's defensive organisation. Despite losing their starting goalkeeper early in the match, the Croatian team kept a clean sheet and prevented Qarabağ from creating enough opportunities to threaten a comeback.
After winning the first leg 2–1 and the return 7–0, Dinamo completed the tie with an impressive aggregate score of 9–1. The comfortable margin reflected their superiority over the two encounters and provided an encouraging foundation for the next European challenge.
Badelj Praises Dinamo's Pressing and Attacking Quality
Following the victory, Milan Badelj expressed satisfaction with the way his players approached the encounter, particularly their determination to impose themselves from the opening minutes. The Dinamo coach explained that the first-leg victory had given his staff a valuable understanding of Qarabağ's strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to prepare a more aggressive approach for the return fixture.
Badelj identified the visitors' defensive organisation as an area Dinamo could exploit and instructed his players to press high, recover possession quickly and keep the majority of the action in the opposition's half. That approach proved successful, with the Zagreb side repeatedly creating opportunities through coordinated attacking movements.
The former Croatia midfielder was especially pleased that his players continued creating chances rather than simply protecting their aggregate advantage. He also acknowledged that some goals involved fortunate circumstances, but considered the quality of Dinamo's attacking combinations and the number of opportunities created more important indicators of the team's progress.
The performance offered encouraging evidence of the squad's development under Badelj. Dinamo demonstrated not only individual technical quality but also tactical discipline, teamwork and an ability to maintain concentration despite establishing a substantial lead.
The coach will now have the opportunity to test those qualities against a considerably stronger opponent, with Benfica awaiting in the next round.
Dinamo Zagreb
Benfica Await in Major European Challenge
Dinamo's impressive victory has secured a place in the third round of the UEFA Youth League Domestic Champions Path, where they will face Portuguese giants Benfica. The opening encounter is scheduled for November 25 in Zagreb, with the return leg taking place in Lisbon on December 9.
Benfica represent one of Europe's most respected football academies, with a long history of producing talented players who progress into senior professional football. The Portuguese club have developed internationals such as João Félix, Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva, while their youth teams have regularly competed at a high level in UEFA competitions.
The upcoming tie will therefore provide an important examination of Dinamo's progress. Although Qarabağ struggled to contain Badelj's team, Benfica are likely to present a different level of technical quality, attacking organisation and defensive resistance.
For Dinamo, the objective will be to reproduce the positive aspects of their performance against Qarabağ while preparing for a more demanding contest. Their aggressive pressing and attacking movement proved extremely effective in Zaprešić, but maintaining that intensity against opponents capable of controlling possession will require greater tactical flexibility.
The Croatian side will host the first leg before travelling to Portugal, making a competitive home performance particularly important. The aggregate winner will advance to the Round of 32, joining teams progressing through the competition's league phase.
Dinamo's Youth Academy Continues to Impress
The victory against Qarabağ is another encouraging result for Dinamo's youth development programme, which has a longstanding reputation for producing players capable of competing at the highest levels of European football.
Over the years, the Zagreb academy has developed numerous Croatian internationals, including Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Joško Gvardiol. Its emphasis on technical development and competitive experience continues to provide promising young players with opportunities to progress towards professional football.
The UEFA Youth League is particularly valuable because it allows academy teams to compete against opponents from different footballing cultures. These encounters test not only technical ability but also decision-making, tactical awareness and the psychological demands of international knockout football.
For players such as Bozhkov, Benkotić, Ban and Radić, the victory against Qarabağ represents an important milestone in their development. Their performances demonstrated the attacking potential within the current squad, while the forthcoming matches against Benfica will provide a more demanding measure of their abilities.
The result also carries significance for Badelj, who is developing his coaching career after a distinguished playing career that included Dinamo Zagreb, Hamburg, Fiorentina, Genoa and the Croatian national team. His experience at the highest level provides valuable guidance for younger players preparing to make the transition towards senior professional football.
Despite the emphatic victory, Dinamo's coaching staff will recognise that continued improvement remains essential. The encounter against Benfica will demand greater precision, discipline and defensive concentration, while the players must avoid allowing the success against Qarabağ to influence their preparation.
Dinamo Zagreb's 7–0 victory over Qarabağ was an outstanding demonstration of attacking quality, tactical discipline and collective confidence. With five goals before half-time and a commanding 9–1 aggregate triumph, Milan Badelj's young team have earned their place in the next stage of the UEFA Youth League. The challenge now becomes considerably greater, as Benfica await in a tie that will provide a valuable measure of Dinamo's potential against one of Europe's leading youth academies.
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